The invention relates to an endoscope composed of an illumination module and a viewing module which are adapted to be connected with one another, the viewing module being provided with an optical system carrying shaft insertable into an interior cannula of the illumination module.
Such endoscopes are employed to examine body cavities and, in the form of arthroscopes, serve to examine and treat joints, usually the knee joints, in that, upon introduction of the arthroscope, the interior of the joint can be viewed. Preferably for the diagnosis of meniscus injuries arthroscopy is a frequently employed procedure.
Since the interior of the joint is not only viewed but also illuminated, endoscopes, such as, for example, the endoscope disclosed in German Utility Model Patent DE-GM 88/14,573, are provided with preferably separate illumination and viewing modules which can be plugged together. The viewing module includes a shaft carrying the optical system, an objective lens to be introduced into the interior of the joint at the distal end of the shaft and an eyepiece at the proximal viewing end of the shaft, and can be pushed into the light shaft of the illumination module.
However, the drawback of the prior art endoscopes is that the viewing component must always be replaced completely if an optical system having a different viewing angle is required for the further examination or must be replaced in the case of a defect. In particular, if the optical system is changed, manipulations are always required in the sterile region as well as in the non-sterile region so that a cover separating the respective regions must also always be replaced.